Surge responsive device



July 23, 1935. F. c. LINDVALL SURGE RESPONSIVE DEVICE Filed July 6, 1953 lm/erfl'or' Frederick CiLindvall i} R H His ATTorneg.

Patented July 23, 1935 UNlTED, STATES PATENT OFFICE SURGE RESPONSIVE DEVICE Frederick C. Lindvall, Pasadena, Calif., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporationof New York Application July 6, 1933, Serial No. 679,189

8 Claims. (Cl. 175-294) My invention relates to improvements in surge although it could be a permanent magnet, is responsive devices and more particularly to reshown as an electromagnet having an energizing laying devices which operate in response to the winding 18 which may be connected to a direct rate of change of any quantity whose variation current source in order to provide a unidireccan be used to effect a voltage change. An obtional field across the gap in which the winding 5 ject of my invention is to provide an improved 6 is movable. surge responsive device which is very sensitive Assuming a sudden change of current in the to sudden changes of a quantity but relatively circuit 3, for example an increase, then the disk insensitive to gradual or slow changes of the 5 and therefore the winding 6 will be quickly quantity and which is comparatively simple in its moved in the direction of the arrow Hi. The 10 construction and operation. electromotive force thereby induced in the wind- My invention will be better understood from ing 6 will overcome the bias of the source I! and the following description when considered in render the valve 9 conductive whereby to actuconnection with the accompanying drawing and ate the relay I 0. It the current of the circuit 3 I its scope will be pointed out in the appended were to decrease, the spring I! would move the 15 claims. disk 5 and therefore the winding 6 in a direction In the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1 illustrates opposite to that indicated by the arrow I 6. In an embodiment of my invention partly in diathis case, the voltage on the grid 8 would be gram and partly in perspective and Fig. 2 simimade more negative and the valve 9 would not larly illustrates another embodiment of my inconduct. Obviously, the valve 9 may be ren- 20 vention. dered conductive for either a sudden increase or In accordance with my invention surges of any decrease of current depending on how the windquantity, whose variation is adaptable to eii'ect ing 6 is connected to the grid 8. If operation is a voltage change, may be detected and applied to desired on both increase and decrease of current useful purposes. Thus, for example, as shown in two devices similar to that shown in Fig. 1 may 25 Fig. 1, sudden changes of the current of an elecbe employed, the connections of the winding 6 tric circuit 3 may be ascertained by suitable curto the grid 8 in one device being reversed relarent responsive means such as a shaded pole tively to those in the other device. motor device 4 whose movable member or disk 5 The embodiment of my invention shown in Fig.

is arranged to control the movement of suitable 2 is connected to respond to voltage surges in a 30 current conducting means, such as a winding 6, circuit 3 through a potential transformer l9. In mounted for movement in the field of a suitable this embodiment of my invention the winding 6 magnet 1. By induction, movement of the wind- .is driven through suitable energy storing means ing 6 produces a voltage change which is dependsuch as a spring 20 and its motion is retarded ent on the velocity of the movement and which by suitable means, such as a damping magnet 2|, 35

is applied to the control electrode means 8 of an acting on a disk 22. electric discharge valve 9 to control the con- With this arrangement it will be obvious that ductivity thereof. a sudden movement of the disk 5 tends to store The output of the valve 9 may be employed to energy in the spring 20. By reason of the dampenergize any suitable relaying means Ill com ing this energy will be somewhat slowly dissinected in the anode circuit of the valve for alarm pated and the induced electromotive force apor indicating purposes or otherwise. The anode plied to the grid 8 will last for a time approxicircuit includes a suitable source of current I I. mately proportional to the change in the quantity Depending on the grid characteristic of the measured by the device 4. Thereforeif an alter- 5 valve, its grid circuit may include a biasing source nating current source be connected in the anode I2 such that the tube will become conductive circuit 01' the valve 9, as shown, and the valve is only when a certain voltage is induced in the of the so-called are discharge type, anode current winding 6. Suitable current limiting means, such flow will persist as long as the voltage induced as a resistance l3, may be used to prevent unin the winding 8 continues of sufilcient magdesirable current flow in the grid circuit. nitude.

The shaded pole motor element 4 is connected If it is-desiled that the relay of g- 1 in series relation with the circuit 3 through a ai ene ed or in ct sea ed-in once it current transformer I5 and tends to turn the is opera d, then e Valve 9 may be of t e d sdisk 5 in the direction of the arrow l5 and against continuous control type such as an arc discharge 5; the bias of a spring IT. The magnetic means 1, valve. In this case direct current is supplied to the anode. On the other hand, it the relay is to be energized only while the winding 6 is in motion, then the valve 9 may be of the arc-discharge type and have alternating current applied to its anode, as shown in Fig. 2.

While I have shown and described my invention in considerable detail, I do not desire to be limited to the exact arrangements shown, but seek to cover in the appended claims all those modifications that fall within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In combination, an electric discharge valve, means for controlling the conductivity of said valve in accordance with the rate of change 01 a quantity including a voltage inducing means and means for actuating said voltage inducing means in response to the rate of change of said quantity. 1

2. A device responsive to surges in a quantity including movable means for generating a voltage proportional to the magnitude of a surge in the quantity, an electric discharge valve and means for controlling the conductivity of said valve in accordance with said voltage.

3. In combination, an electric discharge valve having a control electrode, means for impressing on said control electrode a voltage dependent on the rate of change of a quantity to control the conductivity of the valve including a. current conducting means mounted for movement in a magnetic field and connected in circuit with the control electrode of said valve and means for moving said current conducting means at a velocity dependent on the rate of change of said quantity. 4. In combination, an electric discharge valve of the discontinuous control type having a control electrode, means for impressing on said control electrode a voltage dependent on the rate of change of a quantity to control the conductivity of the valve including a current conducting means mounted for movement in a magnetic field and connected in circuit with the control electrode of said valve, means for moving said current conducting means at a velocity dependent on the rate of change of said quantity and a device to be operated and a source of direct current connected in the anode circuit of said valve.

sponse to a change in said electric quantity, 9. l

resilient connection between said actuating means and the mounting of said winding, and means for retarding the movement of said winding.

6. In combination, an electric discharge valve having a control electrode and an anode, a device to be controlled connected in the anode circuit of said valve and means for controlling the conductivity of said valve in accordance with a sudden change in a quantity of electric energy including a winding mounted for movement in a unidirectional magnetic field and connected in circuit with the control electrode of said valve, and means for moving said winding in response to'a change in said electric quantity.

7. In combination, an electric valve of the arc discharge type having a control electrode, means for impressing on said control electrode a voltage dependent on the rate of change of a quantity to control the conductivity of the valve including a current conducting means mounted for movement in a magnetic field and connected in circuit with the control electrode of said valve, means for moving said current conducting means at a velocity dependent on the rate of change of said quantity and for a. time approximately proportional to the change of the quantity, and a device to be operated and a source of alternating current both connected in the anode circuit of said valve.

8. A device responsive to surges in a quantity including operating means connected to be actuated by a change in the quantity, movable means connected to be actuated by said operating means for generating a. voltage varying with the magnitude of the surge in the quantity and means connected to be operated in response to said voltage.

FREDERICK C. LINDVALL. 

